Julia Roberts has opened up about how her family are struggling to cope with the recent death of her half-sister.

Nancy Motes, 37, died in February of an apparent drug overdose and shortly afterwards Pretty Woman star Julia was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, with her thoughts published in the magazine's May issue.

She said of Nancy's death: "It's just heartbreak. It's only been 20 days. There aren't words to explain what any of us have been through in these last 20 days. It's hour by hour some days, but you just keep looking ahead.

"You don't want anything bad to happen to anyone, but there are so many tragic, painful, inexplicable things in the world.

"But [as with] any situation of challenge and despair, we must find a way, as a family. It's so hard to formulate a sentence about it outside the weepy huddle of my family."

Julia, 46, has three children, Henry, six, and twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, nine, with husband Danny Moder and spoke about how she managed her work and home life: " By the time we had kids, I had accomplished things and felt secure about that part of my life.

"I was so joyful moving into the family phase of my life in a sincere way. We're just grateful for the sense we have of being like any other family down the street. I don't question it."

The August: Osage County actress continued: "For a long time, they weren't even aware I had a job because I was home so much. Now they get it."

Talking about fame, she revealed: "I don't consider myself a celebrity, [at least not] how it is fostered in our culture today. I don't know if I'm old and slow, but there seems to be a frenzy to it.

"I think there is a dehumanisation that goes with fame, especially in the present culture of it, which isn't the culture I started off in.

"There wasn't this analysis of every iota of every moment of every day. Nobody cared about what you wore, nobody cared what haircut you had, if you had on make-up or didn't - it's become this sort of sport."